CORIOLANUS



ACT I



SCENE I      Rome. A street.


[Enter a company of mutinous Citizens, wiv staves,
clubs, & other weapons]

First Citizen      Be4e we proceed ne further, hear me speak.

All      Speak, speak.

First Citizen      U R all resolved rather 2 die than 2 famish?

All      Resolved. resolved.

First Citizen      First, U know Caius Marcius is chief enemy 2 d people.

All      We know't, we know't.

First Citizen      Let us kill him, & we'll hv corn @ r own price.
Is't a verdict?

All      No more talking on't; let it b done: away, away!

Second Citizen      One word, good citizens.

First Citizen      We R accounted poor citizens, d patricians good.
wot authority surfeits on wud relieve us: if they
wud yield us bt d superfluity, while it were
wholesum, we might guess they relieved us humanely;
bt they think we R 2 dear: d leanness that
afflicts us, d object of r misery, is as an
inventory 2 particularise thr abundance; our
sufferance is a gain 2 them Let us revenge this with
our pikes, ere we become rakes: 4 d gods know I
speak this in hunger 4 bread, nt in thirst 4 revenge.

Second Citizen      Wud U proceed especially against Caius Marcius?

All      Against him first: hez a very dog 2 d commonalty.

Second Citizen      Consider U wot services he has done 4 his country?

First Citizen      Very well; & cud b content 2 give him good
report 4t, bt th@ he pays himself wiv being proud.

Second Citizen      Nay, bt speak nt maliciously.

First Citizen      I say unto U, wot he hath done famously, he did
it 2 th@ end: though soft-conscienced men can be
content 2 say it was 4 his country he did it to
please his mother & 2 b partly proud; which he
is, even till d altitude of his virtue.

Second Citizen      wot he cannot help in his nature, U account a
vice in him. U must in no way say he is covetous.

First Citizen      If I must not, I need nt b barren of accusations;
he hath faults, wiv surplus, 2 tire in repetition.

[Shouts within]

wot shouts R these? d other side o' d city
is risen: y stay we prating here? 2 d Capitol!

All      Come, come.

First Citizen      Soft! who comes here?

[Enter MENENIUS AGRIPPA]

Second Citizen      Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one th@ hath always luvd
the people.

First Citizen      Hez one honest enough: wud all d rest were so!

MENENIUS      wot work's, my countrymen, in h&? wr go U
With bats & clubs? d matter? speak, I pray U.

First Citizen      r business is nt unknown 2 d senate; they have
had inkling this 4tnight wot we intend 2 do,
which now we'll show 'em in deeds. They say poor
suitors hv strong breaths: they shl know we
have strong arms 2.

MENENIUS      y, masters, my good friends, mine honest neighbours,
Will U undo Urselves?

First Citizen      We cannot, sir, we R undone already.

MENENIUS      I tell U, friends, most charitable care
Have d patricians of U. 4 Ur wants,
Ur suffering in this dearth, U may as well
Strike @ d heaven wiv Ur staves as lift them